Absent Father Wanted Recognition On Father’s Day, And He Got Upset When His Son Publicly Thanked His Mom Instead

Pexels/Reddit
Father’s Day can bring about all sorts of complicated feelings, especially when the fatherly relationship was always strained.
So when one young man publicly thanked the mother who raised him alone, it caused a rift with his biological father who sought recognition he hadn’t yet earned.
Now he’s wondering if he was wrong to thank his mom on Father’s Day instead of his dad.
You’ll want to read on for this one.
AITA For only posting my Mom for Fathers Day?
I (20M) grew up with a single mother who adopted me as an elderly woman as a baby.
My biological father was never there at all and is recently sober and has cancer, so I call him once in a while.
So when he decided to leave his dad out of his appreciation post on social media, his father felt hurt.
I posted my mother on Father’s Day thanking her for playing both roles.
My father got really upset and told me I should post him, and I didn’t.
He wants to feel bad about it, but he just doesn’t.
He told me that he does love me and he thinks it’s selfish of me to not acknowledge him for Father’s Day publicly.
AITA by being unsympathetic?
Sounds like this father has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
Redditors weigh in with their two cents.
The role of a father is earned, not owed.

Quite frankly, this “father” doesn’t deserve it.

This man has a funny way of showing love.

He was right to show his support to someone who was truly there for him.

You can’t rewrite the past, no matter how hard you may want to.
If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.
Author
Benjamin CottrellBenjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture
Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.
As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.
When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.
Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.
Categories: Life & Drama
Tags: · absent father, adoption, aita, father's day, guilt trips, obligation, picture, reddit, sick parents, single mothers, social media, top

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